A pair of Texas Longhorns, Carson Tinney and Dylan Volantis, are already national contenders, showcasing elite talent before the season even begins.
Texas baseball enters the 2026 season with momentum, star power, and national attention already locked in.
Catcher Carson Tinney and right-hander Dylan Volantis were both named to the preseason Golden Spikes Award watch list, a nod that places them among the top amateur baseball players in the country before the first pitch is even thrown.
The Golden Spikes Award, presented annually by USA Baseball, honors the nation’s best amateur player across high school and college baseball.
The preseason watch list includes just 55 players, and it’s designed to evolve throughout the season as performances reshape the national picture. For Texas, landing two players on that list reinforces the Longhorns’ growing presence on the national stage.
Tinney arrives in Austin with one of the most complete offensive profiles in college baseball.
The consensus All-American posted elite advanced numbers in 2025, leading all Power Four hitters in weighted runs created plus (179) and wOBA (.535), while ranking third nationally with a 1.251 OPS. During his sophomore season at Notre Dame, the 6-4, 240-pound catcher hit .348 with 17 home runs, paired a .498 on-base percentage with a .753 slugging mark, and led the Irish in 10 different offensive categories.
His production earned him NCBWA District 5 Player of the Year honors and a spot as a finalist for the Buster Posey Collegiate National Catcher of the Year Award.
Volantis brings dominance from the bullpen. After earning national attention as a freshman, he enters 2026 already battle-tested. The right-hander led all freshmen nationally with a microscopic 0.88 WHIP and 12 saves, while posting a 1.94 ERA and holding opposing hitters to a .185 average.
His 11 conference saves set a new SEC freshman record, breaking a mark that had stood for more than two decades.
Volantis was named Baseball America National Freshman of the Year, SEC Pitcher of the Year, and NCBWA Pitcher of the Year, finishing tied for 10th nationally in saves despite being one of the youngest arms in the field.
Texas opens its second season under head coach Jim Schlossnagle on Feb. 13 against UC Davis at UFCU Disch-Falk Field.
With Tinney anchoring the lineup and Volantis closing games, the Longhorns have two Golden Spikes contenders ready to shape the national conversation.